title: Functional lacrimal gland regeneration by transplantation of a bioengineered organ germ.
abstract: The lacrimal gland has a multifaceted role in maintaining a homeostatic microenvironment for a healthy ocular surface via tear secretion. Dry-eye disease, which is caused by lacrimal gland dysfunction, is one of the most prevalent eye diseases that cause corneal epithelial damage and results in significant loss of vision and a reduction in the quality of life. Here we demonstrate orthotopic transplantation of bioengineered lacrimal gland germs into adult mice with an extra-orbital lacrimal gland defect, a mouse model that mimics the corneal epithelial damage caused by lacrimal gland dysfunction. The bioengineered lacrimal gland germs and harderian gland germs both develop in vivo and achieve sufficient physiological functionality, including tear production in response to nervous stimulation and ocular surface protection. This study demonstrates the potential for bioengineered organ replacement to functionally restore the lacrimal gland.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160 8582, Japan [2] Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba 278 8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Yurie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sekine
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Shigeto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimmura
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawakita
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006085:Graft Survival; D006243:Harderian Gland / Q000637:transplantation*; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012038:Regeneration; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D011100:Polyglycolic Acid